Russia accuses Biden administration of creating atmosphere for attack on Trump

The Kremlin said on Sunday it did not believe the US administration was responsible for Saturday's assassination attempt on US presidential candidate Donald Trump, but that it had created an atmosphere that provoked the attack.

Trump was shot in the ear during a rally in Pennsylvania, in an attack now being investigated as an assassination attempt. The attacker was shot dead and law enforcement officials said they had not yet identified a motive.

"We do not believe that the attempt to eliminate and assassinate Trump was organised by the current authorities," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"But the atmosphere around candidate Trump...provoked what America is confronting today."

US President Joe Biden condemned the attack, saying there was no place for that kind of violence in America. Peskov said Russia condemned any violence in the course of the political struggle.

His comments echoed those of some of Trump's Republican allies, who immediately pinned the blame on Biden.

"After numerous attempts to remove candidate Trump from the political arena — using first legal tools, the courts, prosecutors, attempts to politically discredit and compromise the candidate — it was obvious to all outside observers that his life was in danger," Peskov said.

He added that there were no plans for Putin to call Trump in light of the incident.

Asked whether the Trump attack could affect the legitimacy of the United States' upcoming election, Peskov said: "It is not for us to judge. We have not the slightest desire to interfere. This is a US matter."